Material loading device



Nov. 6, 1945. c, A. .ONOFRIO MATERIAL LOADING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

' IN V EN TOR.

CARHEWO A. WYOFRIO ATTORNEY Nov. 6, 1945.

c. A. ONOFRIO MATERIAL LOADING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. (MPHENOA. QIYOF'JE'IO ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1945 UNITED I s ATEs PATENT OFFICE MATERIAL LOADING DEVICE Carmeno A. Onofrio, Gotham, N. IL, assignor of one-half to Romeo Orino, Gorham N. H., and one-eighth to John Orino,.Rumfo rd, Maine Application October 4, 1944, Serial No. 557,093

1 0 Claims. .(Cl..214-131) This invention relates to devices for use in has dling various loads of which pulpwood may be taken as an example. v

Pulpwood is commonly piled as it is cut and theindividual logs are manually lifted from such piles and loaded in the trucker other vehicle. This is particularly difficult with the larger-logs which are generally located at the bottom of the pile. As some of these are too large for the crew to handle, a number of logs are frequently left and wasted for lack of efficient and economical loading means.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a trailer in which is mounted an engine, a shaft, and clutch controlled means to connect the shaft to the engine and to rotate the shaft at a predetermined slow speed. A lifting element is pivotally connected to the trailer to swing upwardly from a loading position adjacent one of its ends to a dumping position above it, and preferably the trailer is formed to establish a'chute directed towards the other end of the trailer to receive loads discharged from the lifting element. I provide a connection between the lifting element and the shaft that automatically disengages when the lifting element is inits dumping position so that gravity is effective to cause the return of the lifting element to itsloading position. The lifting element is formed so that when in its dumping position, the load is discharged therefrom and the dumping position is such that the lifting element, is urged towards its loading positionby gravity.

Preferably this connection consists of an arm mounted on the shaft for rotation independently thereof and having a portion engageable by a dog fast on the shaft. The arm is pivotally connected to a second arm pivotally attached to the lifting element and by this construction the dog picks up the first arm and swings it upwardly to raise the lifting element from its loading to its dumping position: and to continue the turnin of the arm.- As the rate of rotation of the shaft is relatively slow, the connection between the shaft and. the lifting means becomes inoperative after the lifting element is raised to its dumping'position, as the first arm is then turned more rapidly than the dog under the influence of the load lifting element as it drops back to its loading position. Ihis affords ample time for the operator to disengage the clutch.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as embodied in a log loader, particulcrly for use in handling pulpwood and from which the novel features and advantages of my invention willbe readily apparent. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my device as viewed from the front.

' Fig. 2 is a side view of the loader with the load lifting element in its loading position and with the load lifting element shown in dotted lines in its dumping zone, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the lifting dog and arm.

At 5 I have indicated generally a trailer. While the trailer may be otherwise constructed, I have shown it as consisting of framework including a-base 6 extending forwardly of the wheels I and formed as at B to receive a trailer hitch. The base members 6 are formed to establish uprights 9 connected by side members It extendin from the upper ends of the uprights 9 to the base 6 adjacent its front end. The framework is braced as at I l to insure that the trailer combines sturdiness with lightness and-weight- In accordance with my invention, I mount in the trailer a gear reduction unit l2 and an engine I 3 with a chain M connecting the sprockets l5 and It on the power shaft ll of the engine and on the input shaft ll! of the reduction unit, respectively. The sprocket I6 is adapted to be coupled to the shaft l8 by a clutch generally indicated at 20. The shifter element 2| of the clutch 20 is connected by a link 22 to a clutch control 23, the handles of which are disposed on opposite sides of the trailer 5 so that the clutch 28 may be conveniently engaged or disengaged by an operator on either side of the trailer.

The output shaft 24 of the gear reduction unit is disposed transversely of the trailer and has a dog 25 keyed to each of its ends. The hub part 26 of the dogs 25 serves as a bushing to support one end of the arms 21 so that they may turn independently of the shaft 24. Each arm 21 has a shoulder 28 engageable by the dogs 25 as the shaft rotates.

I have shown the lifting element as comprising a load support 29, the arms of which are downwardly disposed as at 30 and upwardly disposed at their ends as at 3| to establish a fork supported by a pair of interconnected booms 32 and braced as at 33. The booms 32 are located between the sides established by the side members it) and are pivotally connected as at 34 to braced pivot posts 35 on the uprights 9. 7

As shown in Fig. 2, the lifting element has a loading position in which it is supported on the ground adjacent the front end of the base 6 and trailer, an engine mounted in said trailer, a shaft journalled in said trailer, clutch controlled means to connect said shaft to said engine and to rotate said shaft at a predetermined slow speed, a dog' on said shaft, a load shifting element pivotally supported by said trailer, an arm mounted on said shaft for rotation independently thereof and havdumped load. Shock absorbers 36 mounted on V the trailer are connected to the booms 32.

A second arm 31 is pivotally connectedas at 38 to each of the booms 32 and to each of the arms 21 so that as the arms 2! swing aboutthe shaft 24, the lifting element is raisedand lowered between loading and dumping positions. In the loading position shown in Fig.2, the dogs 25 are in engagement with the shoulders 28 on the arms 21 to cause the lifting element to swing upwardly towards its dumping position. When the load lifting element is raised through the dumping zone until the arms 21 have passed through their vertical position as indicated in Fig. 3, a dumping position is established in which the influence of gravity on the lifting element urges it back towards its loading position and causes the arms 21 to continue to turn. As the drive through the reduction unit causes a slow rotation of the shaft 24, the influence of gravity results in the shoulders 28 becoming disengaged from the dogs25 as the load lifting element drops back to its loading position so that an ample opportunity is provided for the disengagement of the clutch 20.

The side members I0 are provided witheyes 39 with which similar eyes 40 on the braces 33 of the lifting element register when the lifting element is in an intermediate position. By inserting a bar or looking pins (not shown) through the eyes 39, 40 when in that position, a towing position of the trailer is established.

The uprights 9 arejprovided with cylindrical supports 4| to receive poles or the like, not shown, in the event that it is desired to extend the chute established by the downwardly and rearwardly inclined portions of the side members l0. A plate A 42 protects the engine from falling objects. By this construction -I am able to providea light-weight, sturdy trailer that may easily, be towed when needed. When disconnected from the towing vehicle, it is positioned so that logs may be rolled ontothe lifting element and dumped therefrom into the vehicle. In use. theengine is continued in operation and whenthe'lifting element is loaded, the clutch 20 is engagedso that the dogs 25 pick up the arms 21'. -When the lifting element is raised through its dumping zone into its dumping position, the load' dumps and gravity on the lifting element becomes effective to cause the arms 21 to continue to turn until the lifting element is again supported on the ground. After the lifting element drops back.v to its loading position, there is an appreciable intervalin which the operator may disengage the clutch 20 orin which the dumped load may be replaced before the dogs 25 again come into a position to raise the lifting element. While the embodiment of my invention which I have shown and described is .particularly adapted for use in handling pulpwood, it will'be understood that it may be readilyadapted to efliciently handle various other loads. 7

What I therefore claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: v I r .l, A. material loading device comprising a ing a portion engageable by said dog as said shaft rotates, a second arm pivotally connected to said first arm and to said load lifting element so that when said dog engages said portion said lifting "element is raised from a loading position adjacent one end of the trailer to a dumping position from which it will return by gravity and in which said first arm has passed through a vertical position, the rate of rotation of said shaft being sufd- 'ciently slow so that when said lifting element is in its dumping position, the influence of gravity thereon is effective to return said lifting element to said loading position and to rotate said first arm independently of said shaft.

2. The device of claim 1, in which the load lifting element is formed withload supporting surfaces disposed to present a chute along which the load may slide under the influence of gravity when the lifting element is in its dumping position. I 3. The device of claim 1, in which the load liftin element is formed with load supporting surfaces disposed to present a chute along which the load may slide under the influence ofgravity when the lifting element is in its dumping .position and the trailer includes members downwardly and rearwardly inclined from a pointadjacent the elementwhenin its dumping position toestablish a continuation of the chute. 4. In a material loading device, a trailer, a shaft rotatably supported by said trailer, adog on said shaft, a load lifting element pivotally supported by said trailer, an arm mounted on said shaft for rotation independently thereof and having a portion engageable by said dog as said shaft rotates, a second arm pivotally connected to said first arm and to said load lifting element so that when said-dog engages said portion said lifting element is raised from a loading position adjacent one end of the trailer to a dumping position from which it will return by gravity and in which said firstarm has passed through a verticalposition, and means to rotate said shaft at asufficiently slow speed so that when said load lifting element is in its dumping position, the influence of gravity thereon is effective to rotate said first arm independently of said shaft and to return said lifting element to its loading position.

5. In a material loading device, a frame, a shaft journalledin said frame, a load lifting element pivotally supported by said frame for move ment between a loading position adjacent one end of said frame to a dumpin position above said frame, a' connection between said lifting element and said shaft effective only to raise said lifting element from its loading to its dumping position, said dumping position being such that when said connection is ineffective, said liftingelement is returned by gravity to its loading position. 1 l

6. In a'material loading device, a frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, a load lifting element pivotally supported by said frame for movement between a loading position adjacent one end of said frame to a dumping position over said frame, a connection between said lifting element and said shaft, said connection including -first and second members, one of which is fast on said shaft and the other of which is supported thereby to turn about said shaft independently thereof and coactin to raise said lifting element except when gravity on said lifting element urges the second member to rotate in the same direction as said shaft, said dumping position of said lifting element being such that said second member is rotated by gravity in the same direction as said shaft, and said lifting element is returned to its loading position by gravity, and means to rotate said shaft at a speed slower than the rotation of said second member under the influence of ravity.

'7. A material loading device comprising a trailer, an engine carried by said trailer, a shaft journalled in said trailer, clutch controlled means to connect said shaftto said engine and to rotate said shaft at a predetermined reduced speed, a dog on said shaft, a load lifting element pivotally supported by said trailer, an arm mounted on said shaft for rotation independently thereof and having a portion engageable by said dog as said shaft rotates, a second arm pivotally connected to said first arm and to said load lifting element 50 that when said dog engagessaid portion said lifting element is raised from a loading position in which it is supported on the ground adjacent one end of the trailer to an unloading position from which it will return by gravity and in which said first arm has passed through a vertical position, the rate of rotation of said shaft being sufliciently slow so that when said portion on said first arm disengages from said dog the rotation of said first arm is continued by the return of said load lifting element to its loading position under the influence of gravity.

8. A material loading device comprising a trailer, said trailer including a frame, the front end of which is adapted to be supported by the ground or attached to a towing vehicle, and the back part of which establishes a pair of uprights, and side members interconnecting the upper ends of said uprights to said front end, an

engine supported by said trailer, a shaft rotatably supported by said trailer, clutch controlled means to rotate said shaft at a predetermined slow speed, a dog on said shaft, a load lifting element pivotally supported by said trailer between said side members and comprisin a boom extending beyond said side members and being formed with a load supporting portion to be supported on the ground when in loading position and from which the load will move under the influence of gravity when said boom is swung upwardly into a predetermined dumping position, the upper edges of said side members being downwardly inclined towards said rear end to es tablish a chute for the load discharged from said loading supporting portion of said element, an arm mounted on said shaft for rotation independently thereof and having a portion engageable by said dog as said shaft rotates to swing said arm upwardly, and a second arm pivotally connected to said boom and to said first arm to cause the swinging of said first arm to swing said boom upwardly from its loading to its unloading position in which position said first arm passes through a vertical position, the rate of rotation of said shaft being sufficiently slow so that after said dog has raised said first arm to raise said lifting element to its dumping position, said arm is turned to its original position ahead of said do as gravity returns said lifting element to its loading position.

9. The device of claim 8, in which the boom has an eye to receive a locking bar and the frame has an eye disposed to register with said boom eye when said lifting element is in an intermediate position to Permit the locking bar to extend through the eyes to establish a locked position of the lifting element when the trailer is to be towed.

10. The device of claim 8, in which the uprights adjacent each side of the frame are provided with supports to receive members to permit the extension of the chute established by the upper edges of the side members.

CARMENO A. ONOF'RIO. 

